The female artists in Pimlico Elementary / Middle School’s school-year Helping Embrace Radiance (H.E.R.) Mentoring Program have, once again, added to the vibrancy of their school and school culture with a new mural.
Designed by 10- 12 girls in middle school in collaboration with Ms. Shantel Carter, a Pimlico Educational Associate and H.E.R. Mentoring founder, the mural celebrates the Park Heights community. With images of row houses and the storied Pimlico Racetrack, the mural embraces the joy, history, and future possibilities of the neighborhood where the students live.
“The young ladies and I came up with the theme since the area was near the school’s community room, where the food pantry is and where students can get uniforms and other resources,” says Ms. Carter, who has worked as a Baltimore City Public Schools educator for over two decades. “We wanted to have an area that depicted the Park Heights community and the positivity that the area represents.”
The first mural the H.E.R. Mentoring group created was last summer and completed in conjunction with local artist and muralist Natasha Fray, owner of Loaded Canvas LLC, who has created a few murals in Baltimore. The mural adorns one of the school’s hallways. The new mural is nearby on the wall leading to the gym.
For the new Park-Heights-inspired mural, Ms. Fray, Ms. Carter, and the student artists worked for six months during the school year and a few weeks into summer 2025 to complete the project.
Well done, H.E.R. Mentoring! Thank you for capturing the spirit of Park Heights and Pimlico!
About H.E.R. Mentoring
Serving Pimlico’s female students, ages 11-14, the H.E.R. Mentoring program aims to “revamp the young female perspective by focusing on accountability, empowerment, empathy, self-worth, leadership, academics, and sportsmanship,” Ms. Carter explains. The mission is to offer opportunities and services that uplift, build, and nurture the young female mindset with skill-based training and practical training to promote college and career readiness.
Activities support mental and physical health through self-care, character and relationship building, and sportsmanship courses. Participants enjoy craft activities, yoga, basketball, a DJ course, hair braiding and hygiene courses, and mural designing and creation.